SENIOR NIGHT SURVIVAL

NCAA Tournament berth likely after San Diego State holds off pesky Air Force in home finale

There they stood before tipoff as the Viejas Arena crowd roared, six seniors with their framed jerseys, grown men who have shed the lessons of youth and helped San Diego State achieve unimaginable heights in college basketball.

Then they went and played with matches.

Almost burned down the season.

The Aztecs would beat Air Force 58-51 and, by most accounts, assure themselves a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens in the regular-season finale at Boise State or the Mountain West tournament in Las Vegas — which, it appears now, will be against Boise State.

But for much of what was supposed to be a night of celebration for Chase Tapley, James Rahon and four other seniors, the 22nd straight Viejas sellout shifted nervously in their red seats, groaning at every clanked free throw and every swished Air Force 3-pointer late in the shot clock, trying not to think about the ramifications of a home loss to the conference’s sixth-place team on their NCAA Tournament resume.

A loss wouldn’t have knocked SDSU (21-8, 9-6) out of the NCAA Tournament on its own. But it might have meant having to win at Boise State, which is 13-1 at Taco Bell Arena this season and just drilled Colorado State there, to avoid spending next week stressing about burst bubbles.

“A tough, physical, sweet victory for us,” coach Steve Fisher said. “You can look at the numbers and say, man, that was an ugly game for us ... But it was a game we had to win, against a team that beat us at their place.”

“I’m just glad we got the W,” Tapley said.

Officially the Aztecs made just 14 of 27 free throws. In reality, only 13 actually went through the net.

But it was that miss, in an ironic twist, that might have finally shifted the momentum.

It came after a wild sequence in which, down six with 7½ minutes left, Air Force’s Kamryn Williams had an apparent fast-break layup viciously blocked by Jamaal Franklin that had the Falcons bench screaming for goaltending. The ball went to the other end, where DeShawn Stephens scored and was fouled.

He shot the ensuing free throw. He missed, the ball bouncing high off the back rim.

Williams tipped it while it was in the imaginary cylinder that theoretically rises endlessly above the basket. Whistle. Goaltending.

That set off Dave Pilipovich. And then he really got hot when another crack Mountain West officiating crew awarded SDSU a two-point basket for a free throw. After huddling, they settled on just one point, but it gave SDSU a 45-36 lead and all was right again in the Aztecs’ world.

A point from a missed free throw?

“That would be the first time it’s happened to me,” Stephens said, “and probably the last.”

Soon, the walk-ons were subbing in and Jeremy Castleberry — who vowed that “I’m going to get a shot up on Senior Night” — was jacking up a 28-footer.

In all, the Aztecs shot a miserable 33.9 percent (20 of 59) after opening the game 5 of 9, including a dunk by Tapley on a lob from Franklin and a reverse dunk by Franklin on a lob from Tapley. They were 4 of 17 on 3s.

Four SDSU players scored in double figures, none with more than 12 by Franklin and JJ O’Brien.

Fisher switched how they defended Air Force’s dizzying array of back cuts and flare screens and high post rubs. Literally. In the first meeting, the plan was to stay with your man on most screens. This time, it was to switch everything. It seemed to work, too.

The Falcons (16-12, 7-8) were coming off a 15-point loss at last-place Fresno State where they shot 27.9 percent, and they were even worse in the first half — making 6 of 24 shots (25 percent) — before finishing at 33.3 percent. They were 9 of 21 behind the 3-point arc … and just 7 of 27 inside it. The Aztecs led 23-18 at the half, Air Force missed to open the second half, and Stephens went to the line for two free throws. And missed both.

A minute later, it was tied and it was nervous time.

“I knew the importance of winning this game,” Fisher said. “I’ve also seen Air Force play. You can say they’re not playing as well lately as they were earlier in the season, but they’re capable of doing this to you and hitting some shots. I’m appreciative that we found a way to win. That’s the most important thing right now. That’s all that matters.”